Anyone tried the blackspire version of the narrow wide chainring?
the teeth look slightly higher, there’s also a few quid difference.

Hoping to try the 80bcd mono veloce when/if crc get stock in Jan!. Fingers crossed they make em!

Emanuel – where can you find the blackspire ? everywhere I look is out of stock. It does look like the teeth are slightly taller which is why i would prefer to try it.

buzzard
CRC, but I dug up some interwebs hearsay about it http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=115909&start=60
ordered one, will try it out compared to the Raceface one on the other bike.

You can get your lbs to order the black spire (it’s free delivery for the lbs so they shouldn’t quibble)

I’ve just got my 30t, looks a little different to the raceface one , could take some pics tomorrow

Hi spev.
I am my lbs.
It’s often cheaper to get stuff from crc than it is from the distributor here in italy.
The Times They Are a-Changin’
emanuel.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94186938@N04/11844931446/
finally got one, only a long term test will tell which is better.

http://revanchebikeco.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/canada-vs-canada/

as mentioned above, the teeth are longer on the blacspire one, it basically looks the same as a XX1/X01 chainring

the raceface looks like a normal chainring in reality bar every other tooth being wider (not as high and profiled teeth all around), but ive never dropped a chain on a raceface one either, so it does still work, black magic or whatever you want to call it

defo think to look at the the blackspire one looks like it would hold it better if i hadnt already used a raceface one

hmmm did blackspaire do a patent settlement with specialized sram ?

might buy one now for when my RF one wears out just in case it gets all lawyered up

The taller teeth sounds like good sense on paper, not sure it’ll be doing a thing though since the shorter teeth seem to do a perfect job anyway.

I’m leaning towards Blackspire- I find Blackspire rings last a very longtime compared to the others (currently running a BS normal 32T single upfront).

Northwind – Member
The taller teeth sounds like good sense on paper, not sure it’ll be doing a thing though since the shorter teeth seem to do a perfect job anyway.

yep exactly as my thoughts above, it looks like it should work better (more so as the teeth are higher you’d expect it to keep working the more it gets worn)

but as you say in real world testing the RF works just fine anyways so it doesnt really matter which you have

the blackspire one looks better if that counts for anything though as its plain unlike the lairyness of the RF

CRC only have the blackspire in 30T at the minute and the RF one seems to be available in most sizes… and the Works Components one is a couple of quid cheaper than either of those, but then does the Blackspire actually retain the chain that much betterer with those taller teeth? especially if you’re looking at going 1xN with a clutchless mech (Like what I be)…

I’m still umming and arrring over switching my 2×9 HT to 1×9 (I have been for well over a year now) and either keeping the 11-32 cassette or trying an 11-34 or even a cobbled together 11-36 HG61 just to see If it such a thing could work for me…

The works ring does definately have taller teeth than the rf of a standard ring, that blackspire looks very tall though!

Will it be any better though? Most have no trouble with works or rf version.

I will keep going on but buy from works if you can, cheaper and made on our soil not in taiwan so you can feel all fuzzy about keepin that money on our island for a change 🙂

Blackspire isn’t made in Taiwan, its made in Canada. It’d be great if Works actually did the 30t version they’ve been talking about, but they’ve not. Can’t see the Works 30t being less than the £38quid the BS 30t costs from CRC, shame.

Pah the 80mm bcd versions have been pushed back to the 31 Jan now acording to Hotlines Boooooo 🙁

thing is, they’re both new, so until we have a few reviews of how they hold up over a year or so of riding it’s too early to say.
I wish the 30t ones had the inbuilt spacer either on bth sides, or had a removable spacer bit, it would have meant you could flip them over.
It’s an easy bodge, though.

Im led to believe the Raceface is reversible, effectively doubling the lifespan. is this correct?
Are any of the other options also reversible